


words so sweet

by youandyourlilies



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: 8 ways to say i love you, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-29
Updated: 2014-05-29
Packaged: 2018-01-27 00:20:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1707983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youandyourlilies/pseuds/youandyourlilies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leorio has never been one for words.</p>
            </blockquote>





	words so sweet

**Author's Note:**

> Fic inspired by R Mckinley's poem '8 Ways to Say I Love You'. Not my best work, certainly not the most original, but I'd rather post it than let it gather dust in my files. Thanks to BitterNakano for beta-reading this for me.

_1\. Spit it into his voicemail, a little slurred and sounding like the shot whiskey you downed for courage._

“H-hhheeeey Kurapika…’m juscallin ta see you are…Haven’ heard fromya in a while so I was worried. I dunno know what ’d do if y’ad got hurt… I just love ya s-ssso much and not hearin’ from ya is drivin’ me crazy…Ah s-ssshit ignore that please fuckssshit…ForgetwhatIjustsaid. Jus’ lemme know you’re okay. Bye.”

His fingers slip against the screen of his phone and it takes a few awkward seconds for him to hang up. With a guttural moan, Leorio hangs his head and lets the phone clatter against the floor. He’s shit-faced, there’s an empty pang in his stomach, and he just spilled his drunken guts to Kurapika over the phone. And to his voice-mail no less!

Nausea wells up and Leorio’s throat burns as he goes over the message he left Kurapika in his head. Stupid! How could he be so stupid! Kurapika is going to end up avoiding him even more than he does now. Leorio’s blown it and all he can do is hope that Kurapika somehow doesn’t receive the message.

Leorio falls asleep on his couch, clothes on from the night before and his tie caught at the top of his head from when he attempted to take it off. He wakes up late for his morning class and struggles, moving around with a headache that feels like a jackhammer had gone off in his head. A text message is waiting for him and Leorio checks it with dread weighing his hands down.

_I’m fine. Sorry to have worried you. I might be able to visit in two weeks. I’ll let you know as soon as I’m sure. -Kurapika_

 

_2\. Sigh it into his mouth, wedged in between teeth and tongues._

The only part Leorio likes about not seeing Kurapika for weeks or months at a time is that the pent up frustration accumulated makes their meetings feel much more intense. Kurapika shows up at Leorio’s door two weeks after the disastrous drunken voicemail incident. Leorio musters up all his willpower to not pin him up against the wall right then and there. Kurapika doesn’t mention Leorio’s drunken confession and Leorio doesn’t pursue the topic.

It takes Kurapika about half an hour he before slides closer to Leorio on the couch. He brushes his hand against Leorio’s stubble with tenderness, expression soft and hungry.

“I missed you,” Kurapika breathes into Leorio’s mouth. Their lips meet and a slow-burning feeling engulfs Leorio as he surges forwards and wraps his arms tight around Kurapika. There’s a brief hint of mint on Kurapika’s teeth and their limbs tangle as they fight to stay on the couch. Kurapika bites and sucks on Leorio’s lower lip in the way he knows drives the man nuts.

Kurapika’s name is resounded like a prayer, low and reverent. Leorio’s missed this; missed him. Slick lips drag along Leorio’s neck until he bites down on the soft patch of skin at the apex of Leorio’s shoulder and neck. The nerves in his body sizzle and Leorio’s brain short-circuits. The words “I love you” release from his throat, so quiet that they sound like a groan.

Kurapika gives no sign that he noticed the quiet proclamation as he works to unbutton Leorio’s shirt.

 

_3\. Buy him flowers. Buy him chocolate. Buy him a teddy bear, because that’s what every romantic comedy has taught you._

Leorio’s terrible when it comes to planning dates. Yes, he’s had more experience at dating than Kurapika has, but that doesn’t mean he was ever good at courtship. Hell, he still isn’t sure if what he had with Kurapika constitutes as dating. He wants to be with Kurapika though and they have a limited time to spend with each other, so Leorio tries his hardest to be romantic.

He books a reservation to one of the fancier restaurants in town and puts on his nicest suits. It’s the kind of place that doesn’t list the prices of the dishes on their menus and fold their cloth napkins in pretty designs. Leorio adjusts his tie and Kurapika keeps fiddling his hair and every time their eyes meet they look away. They are quiet as they eat, both feeling out of place. The food tastes bland to Leorio and he regrets coming to such a place.

After dinner, they walk in silence back to Leorio’s apartment, tension palpable. Kurapika sighs and casts a glance over to Leorio.

“The food tasted awful.”

The tension dissipates and Leorio stands up straighter, his mouth quirking up as he gives Kurapika a sheepish smile. “Yeah, it was. Sorry.”

Kurapika shakes his head and smiles back. “Don’t be. Just…Let me pick where we eat next time.”

“Deal.”

They continue their walk back with an amicable atmosphere, laughing about how awful the date had gone and poking fun at the much too expensive food they had eaten. Along the way, Leorio scans the street and sees a lone flower stand set up off to the side. He excuses himself from Kurapika and goes up to the tender and purchases a single flower. Heart pounding and hands clammy, he scrambles back over to Kurapika and offers the bud to him.

With slight hesitation, Kurapika grasps the single red rose. His eyes widen with wonder and his cheeks have a healthy flush to them. Leorio doesn’t know much about romance, but he does know what a red rose symbolizes and he doesn’t have the courage to say it right out.

Kurapika finally looks up at Leorio with that sweet face of his and Leorio wonders if Kurapika knows what a red rose means. He probably does. Kurapika is smart like that.

_I love you._

 

_4\. Whisper it into his hair in the middle of the night, after you’ve counted the space between his breaths and are certain he’s asleep._

Kurapika’s breathing slows and Leorio nuzzles his nose into his hair. They reek of sweat, and their skin sticks together in awkward places, but neither of them mind much. His long arms wrap around Kurapika’s smaller frame, legs bent into the back of his as they lie in Leorio’s bed. The sweat from earlier had cooled, leaving their arms prickled with goose-bumps. Leorio draws Kurapika’s hands into his own and entwines them. He had been too nervous to do so when Kurapika was awake, but now that the Kurapika was asleep he let his inhibitions go. Running a free hand through Kurapika’s hair, Leorio remembers red eyes watching him with desire as their bodies pressed together.

His skin tingles where their skin meets and Leorio lets out of puff of air and whispers into that sea of blond.

“I love you.”

Kurapika shifts a little and Leorio freezes. He lets his hand drop from Kurapika’s hair and loosens his grip on his hands. Kurapika turns his head and Leorio keeps his eyes closed, feigning sleep. His face feels hot and he knows his act isn’t convincing, but Kurapika sighs and lays his head back down after what feels like forever. Maybe they can both pretend that Leorio had been talking in his sleep and that he wasn’t too much of a coward to say how he feels to Kurapika’s face.

 

_5\. Blurt it out in the middle of an impromptu dance party in the kitchen, as clumsy as your two left feet._

The radio’s blaring in Leorio’s kitchen and a familiar song comes on. Kurapika’s lounging on a barstool, eyes glued to the newspaper he’s reading. He’s wearing one of Leorio’s shirts, black and long-sleeved. The collar slouches down revealing a tantalizing view of Kurapika’s collarbone. He sight leaves Leorio feeling wistful and as the song picks up pace he goes over and tugs on Kurapika’s arm. Kurapika gives Leorio a half-hearted glare and quirks an eyebrow.

“Dance with me,” Leorio goads and he pulls a surprised Kurapika to his feet. Unsteady, Leorio twirls Kurapika around in jerky circles. He stumbles but Leorio catches him and they continue sway to the beat of the song. Kurapika’s lips press tight at first as he struggles to keep up with Leorio, but he breaks out a bright grin. Leorio trips over his feet and almost steps on Kurapika’s but he doesn’t mind and moves with grace before Leorio’s huge feet smash his. As the song comes to a close and they slow down. Kurapika’s hands stay locked around Leorio’s neck while Leorio rests his on Kurapika’s waist. They’re panting and smiling like goofs and Leorio feels his heart skip a beat.

“I love you,” he blurts out, caught up in the moment. Kurapika stops, his surprised eyes locked on him. Panic rises up in Leorio’s throat and the next phrase escapes before he can stop himself. “I-in that shirt! Black is a good color on you.” His grin is one full of shame and regret and Kurapika only looks at him in disappointment as he pulls away goes back to reading the newspaper.

 

_6\. Write him a letter in which the amount of circumnavigating and angst could rival Mr. Darcy’s._

Leorio’s supposed to be studying, but instead of going over his notes he ends up scrawling the notes to a hypothetical confession to Kurapika. He can’t seem to say it right in the heat of the moment, so maybe it would work better to gather his thoughts in order before he tells Kurapika he can’t imagine life without him anymore. Leorio moves the pen across his notebook. He wonders if he should tell Kurapika how he loves the way he smiles when Leorio says something ridiculous. How he even loves when they bicker. Nobody could insult Leorio the way Kurapika did, with equal scathing irritation and exasperated affection. He contemplates asking Kurapika to live with him; Leorio’s apartment was small but it could still be home and maybe Kurapika wouldn’t have to be away for so long. He would tell Kurapika how much hated not seeing him for months at a time. How lonely he felt coming home to an empty apartment and sleeping in an empty bed.

Perhaps Leorio would tell Kurapika how in love he was with him over and over again. How Kurapika could make a life here with Leorio instead of chasing after the ghosts of his lost clan. It’s selfish to ask for, Leorio knows this, but he still wishes the fantasy could become reality. Guilt won out though and Leorio crumpled up the paper and tosses it over his shoulder.

Later he realizes in horror that he should have disposed of the love note when he sees Kurapika pick up and smooth out the paper. The heat on his face is unbearable, so Leorio excuses himself for some fresh air before Kurapika can confront him. He hears a stifled gasp right before he closes the door and berates himself up for being so spineless.

 

_7\. Wait until something terrible has happened and you can’t not tell him anymore._

The phone rings at 3 AM and wakes Leorio up from a restless sleep. Kurapika had left three weeks ago from his visit and the apartment had felt so empty without him in it. The mattress that seemed so small with the both of them squished to make room was too spacious now and Leorio has to hold onto a pillow to manage any semblance of sleep.

Groggy, Leorio pats his nightstand until he finds his phone and clicks the speakerphone on.

“Hullo?” he croaks, eyes still closed and mouth dry. The phone crackles with static for a moment before an unfamiliar voice speaks.

“I’m sorry to be bothering you, but is this Leorio Paladiknight?”

“Yeah,” Leorio says, still not quite awake and wanting to go back bed. Who the hell was calling him at this time of night?

“I’m calling from St. Bernadette’s Medical Center in Yorknew City. A friend of yours was admitted here a few hours ago.” Leorio jolts forward, drowsiness washed away with shock.

“Who? What happened?”

“Ah, the patient’s name is Kurapika. He said he didn’t have any family and gave you as an emergency contact. Luckily, his surgery was successful and he’s in stable condition. Are you able to come here anytime soon?”

Leorio thanks the good forces of the universe that it’s spring break. He will cut whatever classes he had to go to Kurapika, but it helps that he doesn’t have to worry about school on top of Kurapika’s well-being.

“Yes,” he breathes, throwing his sheets off and moving to gather his clothes. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

\--

“I started a fight with the wrong person at the wrong time,” is Kurapika’s lethargic explanation. He has a broken leg, several broken ribs, and is bruised all over his body. He tilts his head to look at the glass containing a pair of red eyes that rested next to Kurapika’s bedside. “Well, I guess it wasn’t the wrong person. I’m lucky I was able to walk away with the injuries I had.” His laugh is weary and he coughs a bit at the end, prompting Leorio to flail his arms about.

“Stop. Stop. Don’t wear yourself out. You can tell me the details later. Just-,” Leorio pauses. There are visible bags under Kurapika’s eyes and he looks so tired and vulnerable; so different to his usual strong and reassured self. Leorio lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding in and sets a hand on top of Kurapika’s. He ignores that fact that his hands shake. “Just rest. Get some sleep. You can recover at my place after the hospital releases you. Okay?”

“Leorio…”

“Don’t.” A wave of exhaustion comes over Leorio and he lets his head sag down. “I’m tired too. I was worried about you, dumbass.” A long moment goes by and Leorio thinks that Kurapika must’ve fallen asleep when a hand smoothes itself over Leorio’s head.

“When the hospital called I thought-“ Leorio chokes on his words. He swallows hard and forces himself to keep the stinging behind his eyes in check. “I thought they were calling to say you were dead or something and I was out of my mind with worry thinking I’d never see you again. So please, rest. Rest and get better, because I love you and I don’t want to…” ‘ _Live without you_ ’ dies on his lips because Kurapika doesn’t need to worry himself over Leorio right now. He isn’t able to say another word without the tears pouring, so he takes a deep breath and tries to calm down. The hand on his head had stilled when he was talking but now it rakes through his hair in slow movements.

‘Shouldn’t I be the one comforting him?’ Leorio thinks, shoulders hunching up. He weaves his fingers through the hand his was on top of and gives it a gentle squeeze. Kurapika does so in kind and soon the room is filled with gentle snores.

 

_8\. Say it deliberately, your tongue a springboard for every syllable._

It takes Kurapika a week and a half to feel well enough to leave the hospital. While he is no Gon with recovery time, the majority of his body did heal in record time. Dragging along the clunky cast on his left leg, Kurapika trudges his way out of the hospital entrance, having refused the wheelchair offered to him. Leorio wonders how the hell he had ended up with such a stubborn person.

“Hey, slow down. It won’t do you any good to injure yourself again,” Leorio calls out. As funny as it was to see Kurapika limp around, he doesn’t want Kurapika to take a wrong step and further damage his leg. Not only that, but Kurapika’s ribs are still healing, so he shouldn’t be moving around as much as he currently was.

Kurapika stops and turns to look at Leorio with a bitter expression. “If I don’t leave this place now I will lose my mind, _Leorio_ ,” Kurapika says and he sounds so much like an incensed old wife that Leorio can’t help but double over in laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Kurapika bites out, irritated. Leorio covers his mouth but can’t do anything about his shaking shoulders. He stuffs his hands in his pocket and looks up at Kurapika, eyes still shining with mirth.

“You. You’re so hopeless, you know that?” Leorio manages between sniggers. Kurapika crosses his arms and glowers at him.

“I don’t see what’s so amusing about this, Leorio. You can be so-“

Leorio cuts him off, drawing one arm out to wrap around Kurapika’s shoulders and pulling him in for kiss. There’s a sharp intake of air through Kurapika’s nose before he eases into the kiss. Leorio stays there long enough to take a swipe of his tongue inside Kurapika’s mouth before pulling away. Kurapika gazes at him, dazed.

“I love you,” Leorio whispers, breaths intermingling with Kurapika's. He pulls Kurapika into a hug and presses his nose into his blond hair. Kurapika sniffles a little, hot against Leorio’s neck, and returns the embrace. Kurapika mumbles something unintelligible and Leorio looks at him with eyebrows quirked up.

“I love you too,” Kurapika says again. In that moment he looked so happy and Leorio wonders why he had taken so long to say those three words in the first place.

 


End file.
